NASA Missions - Past - Current - Future

Sometimes we comment that NASA is not going and doing everything we would like.
You know, go to the Moon, go to Mars, and why not the Stars.

Money.

Still, there are a number of things going on now and more planned for
the future.
I copied the list of Current Missions below and I think you will see
that quite a bit is going on.
Still, you say, not enough.
Looks like one needs to speak to their representatives in Congress if
you are in the USA.
With all the talk of a down turn in the economy sometimes missions get canceled.
Let us hope folks can see the benefit and provide the funds to carry on.
- LRK -


Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
NASA TV
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Continue viewing what NASA is doing.
- LRK -

snip
==============================================================
NASA Missions Index page where you might check on Past, Present, and
Future missions.
- LRK -

Missions
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/index.html

snip
==============================================================
Just because I am lax in probing the World of the Internet doesn't
mean there aren't things going on.
Do check out the NASA Current Missions page to see that much indeed is
happening.
- LRK -

Missions - Current
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html

Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE/
Major mission of the Explorer program.

Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aim/index.html
AIM's two-year mission is to study Polar Mesospheric Clouds, the
Earth's highest clouds, which form an icy membrane 50 miles above the
surface at the edge of space.

Aqua
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aqua/index.html
Aqua, Latin for water, is a NASA Earth Science satellite mission named
for the large amount of information that the mission will be
collecting about the Earth's water cycle.

Arctic sea ice
ARCTAS
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/arctas/
Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft
and Satellites

Astro-E2/Suzaku
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/astro-e2/main/index.html
The Suzaku mission is a joint effort of JAXA and NASA designed to
discover more about the x-ray universe.

Aura Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/aura
A mission dedicated to the health of Earth's atmosphere.

Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO)
CALIPSO
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/calipso/main/index.html
CALIPSO will provide the next generation of climate observations,
drastically improving our ability to predict climate change and to
study the air we breathe.

Cassini
Cassini-Huygens Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html
Unlocking the secrets of Saturn.

Chandra X-ray Observatory
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/main/index.html
NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory probes the mysteries of space with
unprecedented x-ray images that help to unravel the structure and
evolution of the universe.

CloudSat
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cloudsat/main/index.html
CloudSat's cloud-profiling radar is 1,000 times more sensitive than
typical weather radar and can detect clouds and distinguish between
cloud particles and precipitation.

Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer (CHIPS)
http://chips.ssl.berkeley.edu/chips.html
CHIPS uses an extreme ultraviolet spectrograph to study the "Local
Bubble" surrounding our Solar System.

Constellation: NASA's Future
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html
A new generation of spacecraft will carry humans to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Cluster ESA/NASA Mission
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=8
The four Cluster spacecraft carry out 3D measurements in the Earth's
Magnetosphere.

Dawn
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dawn/main/index.html
Dawn launched in September, becoming the first spacecraft ever planned
to orbit two different bodies after leaving Earth. The spacecraft will
orbit Vesta and Ceres, two of the largest asteroids in the solar
system.

Deep Impact
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/deepimpact/main/index-old-donotuse.html
Exploring Comet Tempel 1 to determine the origins of life in our Solar System.

Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (EP-TOMS)
http://toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/eptoms/ep.html
Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (EP-TOMS), along with the
Ozone Monitoring Instrument onboard AURA, are currently the only NASA
spacecraft on orbit specializing in ozone retrieval.

Earth Observing Mission, EO-1
http://eo1.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Earth Observing-1  →As the first New Millennium Program Earth
Observing Mission, EO-1 has validated advanced land imaging and unique
spacecraft technologies.

EPOXI
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/epoxi/index.html
EPOXI is a low-cost mission that will expand our knowledge of both
cometary bodies and extrasolar planetary systems.

Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/galex/index.html
Mapping the history of star formation in the universe.
› Galaxy Evolution Explorer

The Gamma-ray Large Space Telescope
GLAST Launches on Gamma Ray Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/main/index.html
The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope will answer questions about
supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic
rays.

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/goes-n/main/index.html
GOES-N is the latest in a series of satellites that provide a constant
vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions
such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

Geotail Mission
http://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/geotail.shtml
A mission to study the tail of Earth's magnetosphere.

Gravity Probe B
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/gpb/index.html
This mission is the relativity gyroscope experiment developed by NASA
and Stanford University to test two unverified predictions of Albert
Einstein's general theory of relativity.

Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/current/grace.html
The twin satellites are making detailed measurements of Earth's
gravity field to learn more about gravity and Earth's natural systems.

Hayabusa (MUSES-C)
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/enterp/missions/hayabusa/index.shtml
Hayabusa (MUSES-C) is Japan's asteroid sample return mission.

High Energy Transient Explorer-2 (HETE-2) Mission
http://space.mit.edu/HETE/
HETE-2 is a small scientific satellite designed to detect and localize
gamma-ray bursts.

Hinode (Solar B)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/solar-b/index.html
A collaboration between the space agencies of Japan, the United
States, United Kingdom and Europe, Hinode's mission is to investigate
the interaction between the sun's magnetic field and its corona.

Hubble Space Telescope
Learn how Hubble has expanded our knowledge of the cosmos.
> Hubble Section
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/index.html
> Servicing Mission 4
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/servicing/SM4/main/index.html

Ice Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICEsat) Mission
http://icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov/
The ICESat mission will provide multi-year elevation data regarding
ice sheet mass balance as well as cloud property information,
especially for stratospheric clouds common over polar areas.

International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL)
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=21
INTEGRAL is the most sensitive gamma-ray observatory ever launched.

International Space Station
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Aboard the International Space Station, astronauts work to improve
life on Earth and extend life beyond our home planet.

Jason
http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/jason-1.html
Jason-1 is the first follow-on to the highly successful TOPEX/Poseidon
mission that measured ocean surface topography.

Landsat
http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/
The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions
jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Mars Express
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/express/
Mission to search for subsurface water from orbit.

Mars Exploration Rovers
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/mer_main.html
Rovers Spirit and Opportunity explore the Martian landscape.

Mars Odyssey
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/index.html
This orbiter is mapping the mineralogy and morphology of the Martian surface.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
The mission will determine whether long-standing bodies of water ever
existed on Mars.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html

Mercury, Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging
(MESSENGER) Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/main/index.html
MESSENGER will study Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun.

New Horizons
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
New Horizons began its journey across the solar system to conduct
flyby studies of Pluto and its moon.

NOAA Environmental Satellites
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/main/index.html
NOAA-N is the latest in a series of polar-orbiting satellites, that
will collect information to improve weather prediction and climate
research across the globe.

Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ostm/main/index.html
The joint NASA-French satellite will help scientists better monitor
and understand rises in global sea level, study the world's ocean
circulation and its links to Earth's climate.

Phoenix Mars Lander
Phoenix on Mars
The lander scoops up soil to search for possible conditions for life
in the Martian arctic.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html

Pioneer
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/pioneer/index.html
A journey through our solar system and beyond.

Pioneer Venus
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/pioneer-venus/index.html
The mission's objective was to investigate the Venus's solar wind, map
the planet's surface and study the upper atmosphere.

Polar Mission
http://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/polar/
The Polar Mission is to obtain data from both high- and low-altitude
perspectives of the polar region of geospace.

Polar Operational Environmental Satellite
http://goespoes.gsfc.nasa.gov/poes/project/index.html
POES is a cooperative effort between NASA and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United Kingdom and France.

QuikScat
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/missions/quickscat.html
The Quick Scatterometer, or QuikScat, replaces the NASA Scatterometer
(NSCAT) instrument on Japan's Midori satellite.

Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI)
http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/hessi/
RHESSI's primary mission is to explore the basic physics of particle
acceleration and explosive energy release in solar flares.

Rosetta
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=13
Rosetta will orbit comet 67P and accompany it on its journey to the Sun.

Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Mission
http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/xte_1st.html
RXTE is a satellite that observes the fast-moving, high-energy worlds
of black holes, neutron stars, X-ray pulsars and bursts of X-rays that
light up the sky and then disappear forever.

SMART 1
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=SMART-1
SMART 1's two part mission will test new technologies and explore
darker regions of the Moon's south pole for the first time.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/index.html
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy--or SOFIA--is an
airborne observatory that will complement the Hubble, Spitzer,
Herschel and James Webb space telescopes, as well as major Earth-based
telescopes.

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/soho/index.html
SOHO, designed to study the sun, from its deep core to its outer
corona, is a cooperative program between ESA and NASA.

Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
http://lasp.colorado.edu/sorce/index.htm
A NASA-sponsored satellite mission that will provide state-of-the-art
measurements of incoming x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared,
and total solar radiation.

Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO)
STEREO continues its mission to capture 3D images of the sun.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/main/index.html

Small Satellite Missions
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/
Small satellite missions provide NASA with valuable opportunities to
test emerging technologies and economical commercial off-the-shelf
components, which may be useful in future space missions.

Space Shuttle
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
The space shuttle is the most complex machine ever built and its
capacity is instrumental in building the International Space Station.

Spitzer Space Telescope
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/spitzer/main/index.html
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, studying the universe in infared.

Stardust
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stardust/main/index.html
Stardust returns samples from Comet Wild 2 to Earth.

Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS)
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/swas/
A mission that was designed to study the chemical composition of
interstellar gas clouds.

Swift
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/swift/main/index.html
The Swift mission seeks to tell us more about gamma-ray bursts, the
most powerful explosions in the universe.

TacSat-2
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tacsat-2/main/index.html
TacSat-2 features 11 onboard experiments, which will be conducted
during the spacecraft's planned six to 12-month mission.

Terra
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/terra/index.html
Terra is a multi-national, multi-disciplinary partnership between the
U.S., Canada and Japan that is an important part of helping us better
understand and protect our home planet.

THEMIS
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/main/index.html
The 2-year mission of Time History of Events and Macroscale
Interactions During Substorms (THEMIS) is to track these violent,
colorful eruptions near the North Pole.

Thermospere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Mission (TIMED)
http://www.timed.jhuapl.edu/
The TIMED mission is studying the influences of the Sun and humans on
the least explored region of Earth's atmosphere.

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdrs/home/index.html
This system of satellites and ground stations makes up a portion of
the Space Network and provides mission services for near Earth
satellites and orbiting vehicles.

Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) Mission
http://vestige.lmsal.com/TRACE/
TRACE enables solar physicists to study the connections between
fine-scale magnetic fields and the associated plasma structures on the
Sun.

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/TC4
The TC4 study will tackle challenging questions about Earth's ozone
layer and climate using coordinated observations from satellites and
high-flying NASA airplanes.

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)
http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov
TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency designed to monitor and study tropical rainfall.

Voyager - The Interstellar Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/index.html
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 journey to study the region in space where the
Sun's influence ends and the dark recesses of interstellar space
begin.

Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)
http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/
A mission to take the first full sky picture of the early Universe.

Wind Mission
http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/wind/
A mission to investigate the solar wind and its impact on the
near-Earth environment.

XMM-Newton
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31249
The Mirror Modules on this x-ray observatory allow XMM-Newton to
detect millions of sources, far more than any previous X-ray mission.

snip
==============================================================
When you have the time and can't think of what to do - check out what
is going on related to space.
- LRK -

JPL Space Calendar
http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/#0807
snip
#  Jul 08 - Asteroid 19685 (1999 RB197) Occults HIP 80672 (5.8 Magnitude Star)
               http://asteroidoccultation.com/2008_07/0708_19685_19203.htm
# Jul 08 - Asteroid 2906 Caltech Closest Approach To Earth (2.150 AU)
               http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?orb=1;sstr=2906
# Jul 08-10 - Eufoam Conference, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
               http://www.congrex.nl/08a05/
# Jul 08-11 - Workshop: Radio Galaxies in the Chandra Era, Cambridge,
Massachusetts
               http://cxc.harvard.edu/radiogals08/
# Jul 08-11 - Polar Research Conference: Arctic and Antarctic
Perspectives in the International Polar Year, St. Petersburg, Russia
               http://www.scar-iasc-ipy2008.org/
snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

What to do if no lunar-update posts - hmmm Watch some TED Talks

It is Summer Time and time flies.
Grandchildren came back yesterday from visiting their biological
father and their mom comes for a visit from Iraq tonight.
She has 18 days off and then back to Iraq.

I have had some conversations with folks off-line but have been remiss
in passing along what is happening in space.

We are on Mars with the Phoenix Mission and I am sure you have been
watching their progress.
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/

The shuttle has been to the ISS and back and there have been great
videos at NASA TV.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/Current_Missions_Collection_archive_1.html

There are a lot of other things going on, like don't drive as much
because of the rising price of fuel for the cars.
- LRK -

--------------------------------------------------------------
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/01/news/international/usgas_price/index.htm
U.S. gas: So cheap it hurts

Relatively low taxes have kept pump prices far below most other
developed nations, which some say is precisely why the current runup
is so painful.
snip
--------------------------------------------------------------

TV ads for who should be our new president are popping up everywhere.
Too bad we can't spend some of that ad money on more worthwhile endeavors.
- LRK -

--------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Media_economy_57/Where_the_smar
t_money_is_this_election.asp
Where the smart money is this election

Flush with media dollars, Obama stretched Clinton

By Diego Vasquez
Jun 17, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------

If I haven't bothered you with enough noise and you have the time,
maybe gather some inspiration from watching some of the TED Talks
again.
At least take a look at a quick summary of 10 of the talks and then
check out the information below.
- LRK -

---------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.ted.com/talks/top10

Announcing the Top 10 TEDTalks

With 50 million views since we started posting video two years ago,
TEDTalks have become a powerful cultural force.

To celebrate this milestone, we're releasing a never-before-seen list:
the Top 10 TEDTalks of all time, as of June 2008.

With speakers like neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor and global health
expert Hans Rosling, the list proves one of the compelling ideas
behind TEDTalks: that an unknown speaker with a powerful idea can
reach -- and move -- a global audience through the power of quality
web video. Links to all 10 talks are found below the video window --
or browse through our Top 10 TEDTalks Theme. Even if you've seen them
all, the highlights video below is darn fun.

snip
---------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================

Dear TEDizens,

We passed an important milestone this week at TED, and wanted to share
it with you: 50 million TED talks have now been viewed worldwide,
nearly half of them outside the U.S. To keep pace with demand, we're
now releasing a new talk every weekday. (Today, be sure to watch
Boston Philharmonic conductor Benjamin Zander, who was a huge hit at
this year's TED conference).

To celebrate two years and 50 million TED talks, we're releasing for
the first time the list of the Top 10 TED talks (below). These are the
talks that have proven most popular over time, and -- interestingly --
they mainly feature speakers who were little-known before their talk
was released. (The most popular talk, viewed 2 1/2 million times and
counting, features neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor, who observed her
own stroke while it was happening.)

Watch the Top 10 Talks highlights video >> http://www.ted.com/talks/top10

Top 10 TEDTalks of all time
1. Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

2. Jeff Han's touchscreen foreshadows the iPhone and more
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jeff_han_demos_his_breakthrough_touchscreen.html

3. David Gallo shows underwater astonishments
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/david_gallo_shows_underwater_astonishments.html

4. Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos Photosynth
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/blaise_aguera_y_arcas_demos_photosynth.html

5. Arthur Benjamin does "mathemagic"
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/arthur_benjamin_does_mathemagic.html

6. Sir Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

7. Hans Rosling shows the best stats you've ever seen
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.
html

8. Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do.html

9. Al Gore on averting a climate crisis
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/al_gore_on_averting_climate_crisis.html

10. Johnny Lee demos Wii Remote hacks
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/johnny_lee_demos_wii_remote_hacks.html

Even -- or especially -- if you've seen all these talks, the
highlights video is well worth a watch. And if you're outraged that
your personal favorite isn't yet the most popular, drop us a note.
Perhaps it will make our upcoming round up of "Hidden Gems" ...

Thank you for helping us spread ideas!

Chris Anderson
TED Curator

June Cohen
Executive Producer, TED Media

snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

NASA AWARDS CONTRACT FOR CONSTELLATION SPACESUIT FOR THE MOON

This will be a change of contractor for spacesuits and is going to be a very
important item to make lunar EVAs a success.

You may want to take a look at some earlier space suits.
success.http://www.astronautix.com/craftfam/spasuits.htm

Space Suit Evolution - From Custom Tailored To Off-The-Rack
http://history.nasa.gov/spacesuits.pdf

Now we have other nations working to put humans in space.
It will be interesting to see what they use for space suits and which ones stand
up the riggers of working on the Moon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_suit


STS-124 went to the ISS, installed the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency's Kibo laboratory and has returned.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

The activities were covered on NASA TV and I failed to remind you all.
I hope you had a chance to watch.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

The next mission is STS-125 to go service the Hubble Telescope.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/hst_sm4/index.html

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

June 14, 2008

Michael Curie
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4715
michael.curie@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 08-150

NASA'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY GLIDES HOME AFTER SUCCESSFUL MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery and its crew landed at
11:15 a.m. EDT Saturday, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
completing a 14-day journey of more than 5.7 million miles in space.

The STS-124 mission was the second of three flights to launch
components to the International Space Station to complete the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Discovery delivered
Kibo's tour bus-sized Japanese Pressurized Module, or JPM, which is
the station's largest module. The mission included three spacewalks
to install and outfit the JPM and activate its robotic arm system.
The lab's logistics module, which was delivered and installed in a
temporary location in March, was attached to its permanent position
on top of the JPM.

Mark Kelly commanded the flight and was joined by Pilot Ken Ham,
Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum, Greg
Chamitoff, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko
Hoshide. Chamitoff remained aboard the space station, replacing
Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who returned to Earth
on Discovery after nearly three months on the station. Chamitoff will
return on shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission, targeted for launch
November 10.

STS-124 was the 123rd space shuttle flight, the 35th flight for
shuttle Discovery and the 26th flight of a shuttle to the station.

With Discovery and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the
launch of STS-125 on October 8. Atlantis' mission will return the
space shuttle to the Hubble Space Telescope for one last visit before
the shuttle fleet retires in 2010. Over 12 days and five spacewalks,
Atlantis' crew will make repairs and upgrades to the telescope,
preparing it for at least another five years of research.

For more about the STS-124 mission and the upcoming STS-125 mission,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-

snip
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/jun/HQ_C08037_Constellation_Spacesuit.html

June 12, 2008

Stephanie Schierholz/Grey Hautaluoma
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4997/0668
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov, grey.hautaluoma-1@nasa.gov

Lynnette Madison/Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
lynnette.b.madison@nasa.gov, bill.j.byerly@nasa.gov

CONTRACT RELEASE: C08-037

NASA AWARDS CONTRACT FOR CONSTELLATION SPACESUIT FOR THE MOON

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded a contract to Oceaneering International
Inc. of Houston, for the design, development and production of a new
spacesuit system. The spacesuit will protect astronauts during
Constellation Program voyages to the International Space Station and,
by 2020, the surface of the moon.

The subcontractors to Oceaneering are Air-Lock Inc. of Milford, Conn.,
David Clark Co. of Worcester, Mass., Cimarron Software Services Inc.
of Houston, Harris Corporation of Palm Bay, Fla., Honeywell
International Inc. of Glendale, Ariz., Paragon Space Development
Corp. of Tucson, Ariz., and United Space Alliance of Houston.

"The award of the spacesuit contract completes the spaceflight
hardware requirements for the Constellation Program's first human
flight in 2015," said Jeff Hanley, Constellation program manager at
NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Contracts for the Orion crew
capsule and the Ares I rocket were awarded during the past two years.


The cost-plus-award-fee spacesuit contract includes a basic
performance period from June 2008 to September 2014 that has a value
of $183.8 million. During the performance period, Oceaneering and its
subcontractors will conduct design, development, test, and evaluation
work culminating in the manufacture, assembly, and first flight of
the suit components needed for astronauts aboard the Orion crew
exploration vehicle. The basic contract also includes initial work on
the suit design needed for the lunar surface.

"I am excited about the new partnership between NASA and Oceaneering,"
said Glenn Lutz, project manager for the spacesuit system at Johnson.
"Now it is time for our spacesuit team to begin the journey together
that ultimately will put new sets of boot prints on the moon."

Suits and support systems will be needed for as many as four
astronauts on moon voyages and as many as six space station
travelers. For short trips to the moon, the suit design will support
a week's worth of moon walks. The system also must be designed to
support a significant number of moon walks during potential six-month
lunar outpost expeditions. In addition, the spacesuit and support
systems will provide contingency spacewalk capability and protection
against the launch and landing environment, such as spacecraft cabin
leaks.

Two contract options may be awarded in the future as part of this
contract. Option 1 covers completion of design, development, test and
evaluation for the moon surface suit components. Option 1 would begin
in October 2010 and run through September 2018, under a
cost-plus-award fee structure with a total value of $302.1 million.

Option 2 provides for the Orion suit production, processing and
sustaining engineering under a cost-plus-award fee or a
firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract
structure with a maximum value of $260 million depending on hardware
requirements. Option 2 would begin at the end of the basic
performance period in October 2014, and would continue through
September 2018.

Images and animation of the new designs, as well as more information
about NASA's Constellation Program, are available online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

To view a feature on the evolution of spacesuits, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/spacesuit_gallery

-end-

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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